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What’s Old is New Again

Tuesday, June 4, 2019

Sue Hoxie, Better Middlebury Partnership

Did you know there are seven resale shops in Middlebury? Clothing for women, men, teens, and children. Books—thousands of them! Furniture, appliances and household goods. Proceeds from several of the shops benefit local non-profit organizations. Plus, two of them have recently moved to larger, more visible locations and another has undergone a major renovation. Read on…

A few months ago I was meeting someone I’d never met before. Typically I’d offer my personal dimensions such as height, ballpark age and hair color as identifiers. In this case I said I’d be wearing a loud red and white polka dot raincoat. It’s one of my favorite coats and hangs in the closet next to another red coat; this one, wool. Why am I telling you this? Well, both coats were purchased at one of Middlebury’s resale shops.

Like a pet you’ve adopted from the shelter, you’d love to know its history—the why and how that particular item got to the resale shop before you added it to your wardrobe. Did someone gain or lose weight? Get tired of it? Was it beloved by a little boy or girl and outgrown? Was it an impulse purchase that in hindsight doesn’t look as good at home as it did in the store? Someone downsized and doesn’t need another set of china with 12 place settings. In all these scenarios the original owner recognized that the item has value and may be of use to someone else.

With my two red coats I feel like I’m the winner—I always get compliments when I wear them. In the case of polka dot raincoat it’s unique, fits perfectly, was right-priced, and from a brand that I love, but never would have paid full retail price. Here are a few thoughts on why you might want to buy from or donate to a resale store:

Why buy resale or second-hand?

  • Typically less expensive
  • Experiment with a new style
  • Love vintage and antique
  • Need a party costume
  • Someone’s trash is another’s treasure
  • Support organization’s mission

Why donate to a resale store?

  • Move on something you no longer need and/or want, but item still has value/use
  • Clean outs/estates/downsizing
  • Alternative to re-gifting it to your least favorite aunt
  • Reuse/recycle economy
  • Support organization’s mission vs. leaving it on the curb

Check out Middlebury’s resale shops:

Buy Again Alley: Offering fashionable and affordable clothing to teens and young adults, Buy Again Alley is a non-profit that creates first-job and work study employment opportunities, internships and scholarships. BAA is located in Frog Hollow Alley. Visit Facebook page.

HOPE: Newly renovated, HOPE’s resale store is one of Vermont’s largest and offers a wide selection of new and used clothing, furniture, household goods, collectibles, books, vinyl records, and more. Proceeds benefit HOPE’s poverty relief work. The store is located on Boardman Street, just off of Route 7 behind G. Stone Motors. Visit website.

Junebug: Visit their new location in Marble Works—just behind Round Robin. A non-profit organization, Junebug Mother and Child sells stylish and a high-quality mix of gently used clothing, books and accessories for expecting parents and children. Proceeds are donated to other non-profits that provide social services, education, or care for local kids and their families. Visit website.

Monroe Street Books: With more than 100,000 used books in-store and another 50,000 available online, Monroe Street Books is Vermont’s largest antiquarian, rare, out-of-print and used bookstore. They’re located just north of downtown on Route 7. Visit website.

Neat Repeats: In early June 2019 Neat Repeats will open in its new location at 1428 Route 7 South in the space previously occupied by Middlebury Sew N Vac. It is an all-volunteer, non-profit shop offering adult clothing, household items and many treasures. Proceeds are returned to Addison County residents through a grant program. Visit Facebook page.

Otter Creek Used Books: Offering a large collection of used books–fiction, non-fiction, sci-fi, mysteries and everything in between—and adding new inventory every day! OCUB’s philosophy is, sure, you can buy books online and never touch it until it arrives in the mail, but there is nothing like holding a book that you have been searching for. Or, finding a book you didn’t know you needed until you saw it. OCUB is located in the Marble Works. Visit website.

Round Robin Upscale Resale Shop: Also located in the Marble Works, Round Robin offers men’s and women’s clothing and accessories as well as small household items. Proceeds benefit Porter Hospital Auxiliary which administers a variety of programs and entities that support Porter Medical Center and Helen Porter Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center. Visit Facebook page.

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